Routine Immunization is everybody’s responsibility! As the country aims to reach the immunization coverage target of 65% by the end of this year, the National Health Department, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other donor partners this week launched the Routine Immunization Took Kit to educate more Papua New Guineans on the importance of immunization and to also, bring the coverage rates up. National Department of Health Secretary Dr. Osborne Liko stated that Immunization is one of the most beneficial and cost-effective public health interventions available and is a key to primary health care: saving lives from vaccine preventable communicable diseases that affect primarily children. Therefore, immunization service provision is one of the most important preventive health activities conducted by the National Department of Health. “Papua New Guinea has faced the challenge of suboptimal Routine Immunization (RI) coverage for too long.” “The fact that only 50% of our children received the essential vaccines last five years is a matter of great concern.” “It is imperative that we recognize the barriers that have led to this situation and collectively work towards overcoming them.” “However, despite these challenges, we must also acknowledge the progress we have made in immunization.” Measles Rubella, Polio and Vitamin A campaign conducted last year reached about a million children below 5 years of age with these essential vaccines and Vitamin A, which is 71% of the total children below 5 years of age. “With the support of partners, we were able to expand cold chain to over 92% of health facilities (800+ HFs) and we used real time reporting of MR campaign through use of mobile application from all provinces.” Additional vaccination drives are planned in 2024 to reach missed children with routine vaccines. Child Health Record Book (CHRB) has been updated and 600,000 copies have been printed for distribution nationally, so that these are available to end user free of charge, which will further facilitate efforts to improve routine immunization. NDoH Acting Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Manger Martha Pogo, said with the aim to reach the coverage rate of 65% by this year, the country should have targets to archive to measure the team’s performance in immunization to see if they are lacking behind or on target. “So, by 2030, we should have a coverage rate of 80%.” “Now we are in year 2024 and we should be 65% but we are currently at 40% so that means we are behind.” She said that, with the launch of the Routine Immunization Tool Kit, this will be the key tool to help them advocate and roll out the routine immunization program. Parents and care givers are the target population that need to be educated in order for the child to be vaccinated. “Many parents believe in differing norms and don’t get to see that immunization saves lives, and we are talking about our kids here, and that needs to be addressed so that parents and care givers bring their kids in for immunization.” The tool kit covers a range of items which includes, a new Child Health Record Book, vest, shirt, bag, umbrella to advocate the importance of immunization.